Gold On the Ceiling
by abracadaver
Summary: RUMPELSTILTSKIN has BELLE back in his life, they're still in Storybrooke, but hopefully not for long. Unfortunately, the curse is the last thing they will be worrying about when Revenge comes knocking on Rumpelstiltskin's door, fueled by the loss of his true love CAPTAIN HOOK has finally arrived in Storybrooke, the clock is ticking and time is no longer on Rumpelstiltskin's side..
1. Chapter 1

**GOLD ON THE CEILING**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This takes place in season two so there will be spoilers up to the most recent episode. Hope you enjoy and reviews are always a delight.

The store was in immaculate disarray, pristine glass cases framed the floor of the small store, carpeted in a deep maroon and though having many a window large and wide it had an uncomfortably unnatural darkness to it. For the most part the store was well kept, there were no traces of fingerprints tarnishing the glass counter tops that displayed the variety of valuables beneath them. In truth, many of the items in the shop where not technically the owners to sell, but that was a technicality that no one in the town seemed to want to confront him about. Especially since not too long after their memories where replaced was the reappearance of magic into their lives.

The maroon curtains at the back of the store rippled slightly, as if someone was about to walk through but stopped. In fact, one of Rumpelstiltskin's hands was resting against the curtain, the other gripped firmly atop his gold cane. He looked at Belle in mock annoyance even though a smile was slowly curving his lips, she continued her conversation oblivious to the fact that he was in fact attempting to open his shop that morning.

"Belle," he interjected calmly, eyebrows raising slightly. She continued pacing and talking, having not heard him. It had actually been more of an external monologue than a conversation that morning, Belle was having trouble enforcing a return date and late fees on her library books.

"I mean, I don't like fining people, but If I don't they'll never bring anything back and if they never bring the books back no one else can enjoy them and that's just, just…selfish!" she took a moment to pause and breathe and to organize her thoughts further. Rumpelstiltskin's could listen to her lilting English accent all day; see those bright blue eyes shine with conviction. Even in the poorly lit room, that seemed almost disgustingly hovel like with her in it, those brown curls feathered with an auburn glow where visible as if she was standing in sunlight not in cluttered backroom of a pawn shop.

"Belle," he said again, this time stepping away from the curtain and walking over to her, favoring his left leg and leaning heavily on the cane in his right hand though the distance less than ten steps the pain was ever present. "Belle," he said for a third time, his voice soft and as he tipped her chin up to look at him. This seemed to pull her from her thoughts, "If there is a problem, I will see to it." She had been smiling up at him, but at this she furrowed her brows, frowning at him slightly. "Rumpelstiltskin…I don't want anyone hurt. Perhaps, I should just go to Sheriff Swan." he leaned back slightly holding his left hand up and laughing slightly in feigning innocence, "Why, Dear Belle, I was not proposing to hurt a soul." His voice hitched a note higher at his last word.

Belle narrowed her eyes very slightly, this had been something she'd been noticing becoming more prevalent in Rumpelstiltskin as of late. Ever since he'd restored magic to Storybrooke, these sorts of characteristics in him had been bleeding through, reminiscent of the Dark One of their old world.

Belle had known he was always this same person or monster – depending on the perspective. Though he appeared to be a man, he was not and that this appearance had only been a bewitchment of the realm they currently inhabited.

"Rumpel," she said, letting the last vowel drag on a little longer than necessary, grasping his full attention, as she took another step closer and reached up to brush the rouge strands of brown hair from his face. Rumpelstiltskin's quick tongue and sharp mind was halted ever so slightly as his heart seemed to beat in double time at the small touch. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly towards her hand, trying to focus on what she was saying and not how she made him feel. "I want to tell you all about what happens in my days, without my daily toils becoming some sort of problem you need to solve." He heard her words, and wanted to say something against them, that her problems where his, something along those lines. But her hand was carelessly resting on his shoulder as it played with strands of hair that rested against the nape of his neck and every so often brushing the ever falling shorter strands that liked to rest against his cheek bones. The tips of her fingers leaving a trail of electricity from his cheek, jawline, and neck as she unconsciously continued playing with his hair as she spoke, leaving silver tongued deal maker and for all his impish qualities putty in her hands.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she stopped and let her hand rest against his neck immobile, unaware that what she'd been doing had caused his pause. He opened his eyes a moment after she'd said his name, "Yes, Belle." His voice was low and almost a whisper, if he was to counter her previous statement about her problems being her own it would have had to been immediately, he'd decided it would be an argument to have another time – which they'd surely have since he'd already decided he'd deal with the problem with or without her request.

"So, you won't hurt anyone?"

He smiled at her warmly, "Of course not." Whilst saying these words he placed his free hand under her chin and tipped it slightly again, this time not to catch her eyes but her lips.

Rumpelstiltskin, in all his travels and years before Storybrooke had practiced a certain level of control and measure, though from the outside it had often seemed the opposite due to his very impulsive nature. Also the past 28 years in Storybrooke had given him time to hone his anger to a bubbling simmer in most situations. But these emotions he'd began to have again since Belle's return, were constantly testing his control. So potent was the feeling of desire that Rumpelstiltskin often gave in to moments such as this, though it was now a quarter past the store's opening.

The kiss light but lasting, and as always it left not just Rumpelstiltskin but Belle as well, wanting more, moments passed and he turned his head down to break the kiss which was token to his self-control, but this morning even that was in the balance of shattering completely when she ever so sweetly continued the kiss as he looked back up to her. He made a small noise, similar to the first time they'd kissed and at this she broke it the kiss, blushing in slight embarrassment at her persistence. It was partly cruel to him, to leave him in such a miserable state, having led him on to expect more and to end it like that. But Rumpelstiltskin just gave her a playful smirk and she had to divert eyes as her face got even redder.

"Perhaps," he said as he started to walk back towards those curtains he'd been trying to get at for close to half an hour. "I should open the store now."

"Oh!" She squeaked her blue eyes wide as she glanced at her watch. "I have to open in the library in half an hour, I should go."

He nodded and smiled, he couldn't stop smiling when she was near him, so he turned back to the curtain and began his soon to be strained trek throughout the store to turn on lights and unlock the front door. At the front register counting the drawer for the day, he heard the back door bell ring as Belle opened the door to leave and said 'bye!'.

After counting the drawer, he turned to a mirror behind him and adjusted the black tie around his neck as it was askew due to Belle tugging it very slightly during their kiss, he turned from the mirror trying not to focus too much on morning, hobbled to the front door and flipped the sign to OPEN and unlocked the front doors.

…

He stepped into the backroom for a moment after a customer less morning, to grab a trinket he'd been fiddling with the day before. On his way back out to the store front the front door clicked open and closed, letting a slight automatic clinging noise echo through the store to let him know a customer had arrived. He pushed through the thin curtains effortlessly and glanced across the store to see a man with his back to him looking down into the far end display cases, as usual his reappearance to the front of the store had been in silence.

"Tick-tock."

The man stood up straight and his back tensed ever so slightly, he did not turn to the store owner but simply said, "What did you just say?" in a deep accent from some British isle.

"I said, it's almost one, the store will be closed within a few minutes but if you wish to return in thirty minutes, I'll be back open for…business." Rumpelstiltskin said with his usual icy demeanor.

"I'll only need a few minutes," the man said, rolling his shoulders slightly.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes narrowed at the man, he had a mess of familiar black hair, wide shoulders and a beaten up black coat that stopped just below his knees, a pair of equally worn black slack and boots. This man had a familiarity that made Gold's right hand clench the cane roughly, and his jaw tense. It was as if his body was preparing him for what his mind was about to catch up to in memory.

"I'm afraid that you don't have the time Mr. ?," Gold responded barely a moment after the man stopped speaking, he heard a small but deep laugh as the man fiddled with one of his ears before he turned around whilst saying, "Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners? Killian Jones," he smiled wildly.

Rumpelstiltskin stood in strong silence, muscles tensed and eyes narrowed slits, finally he gave a wicked smile and laughed placing two hands on his cane behind the front desk, "Well, Well, Well, Captain Hook and what brings you to Storybrooke?"

"I think you know."

"Yeah, perhaps I do."

It was almost too fast to catch, but as soon as Hook responded his arm was in his jacket and then stretched before him pointing a gun square in the face of Rumpelstiltskin.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I have traveled many a land in search of a way to kill you."

"Yes, Mr. Jones, I do recall you said something along those lines at our last encounter." Rumpelstiltskin's nonchalant attitude was doing wonders at pissing Hook off.

"Yeah? Well guess what you wretched crocodile? I don't need to skin you or find spell or some enchanted bullshit weapon in this realm; all it takes is a bullet."

At this Rumpelstiltskin laughed tossing his head back, then flicked it back to look at the pirate straight in the eyes, an impish amusement has possessed him contorting his features making him look disturbingly similar to the monstrous form he'd worn back in their land.

"It will take a lot more than that to kill me, even here."

"We'll see." Hook clicked back the hammer on the old fashioned gun, finger at the trigger he was inches from pulling it when the front door chimed. Both men put their attention at the new arrival.

Rumpelstiltskin's cavalier attitude vanished in desperation as his heart plummeted in his chest and desperation shook his mind.

Belle stood, blue eyes wide as she stared from Hook to the gun to Rumpel then back again, her mouth open in horror.

"Belle! Get out of here!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled.

Killian Jones was looking back at Belle, gun still pointing at his foe. The woman was beautiful, nothing to Mila of course, but she was a Beauty. She had curves in all the right places, shaped by a nice sky blue dress that stopped right above her knees and long brown curls that hovered right above her breasts. Killian could measure up a woman in a matter of moments and from the full partly open lips to those wide blue eyes he could see one thing: Worry.

Hook looked back at Rumpelstiltskin; he was no longer behind the front desk and to the left of it, with a look of panic on his face. After a moment his foe looked back at him, but hook realized in that moment that he'd only done so for one reason: Rumpelstiltskin had shone his hand.

Hook laughed and slowly, eyes locked on the Imp he moved his arm and pointed the gun at Belle, he inhaled loudly in fright. Rumpelstiltskin gripped the countertop and took another quick step closer, he looked like he was going to kill Hook. But Killian just made a mock surprised expression at Rumpelstiltskin's response.

"Well, Well the beast has a heart after all.."

"Rumpel..." Belle said in fear but also to try and tell him not to do anything crazy. But murder was in Rumpelstiltskin's eyes and hook knew then and there that if this Crocodile was as strong as he was back in their world that he would no longer be among the living.

Threatening this girl had made the Crocodile not only show his hand but his heart, his weaknesses as well where more than one. It seemed that human affliction to his leg had returned to him in this world and now there was a woman who had his heart.

"You know, Hobblefoot," Hook said as he slipped the gun back into his waist belt. "This is going to be a lot more fun, than I thought." He just laughed as he walked back slowly then turned to Belle as he opened the front door, grabbing her hand he kissed it and looked into her eyes, "Killian Jones, pleasure."


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So, I didn't mention it in the previous chapter but this story is essentially where I would love to see the show go. I honestly feel like re-introducing Belle and putting her and Rumpelstiltskin in each other's lives then the episode, "The Crocodile" filling us in on Hook's backstory in relation to Rumpelstiltskin – how perfect have they set this up? I really think Hook will use Belle to get back at Rumpel. Anyway, Enjoy the chapter and reviews are amazing and keep me writing and updating faster!

**GOLD ON THE CEILING**

"I don't know, I swear!" the small man gasped between breaths, his hands clawing at the hand crushing his esophagus. At his response Gold only tightened his grip and pressed the man harder against the wall. Gold watched as the man's face got, if possibly, redder than it already was as his forehead and the brim of his oversized skull cap seemed to blend together. The man coughed again, trying to talk through the pressure on his neck and lack of air, "I-I-I Swe-ear" he finally managed to choke out. Gold released his throat pulling the small man from the wall and slamming him back down into it, the pawn shop owner made an annoyed sound and he reached behind his chair to grab his cane.

"Now, that is not s good first answer-!" he then pressed the butt of the cane into the hollow point of the crumbled form of the man on the ground before him. He grasped at the cane, like so many before him, "Now I'll explain it again," Rumpelstiltskin began in an malevolent hiss through clenched teeth. "I will let you breathe again in a moment and the first thing you're going to tell me is where he is," he pressed harder, leaning towards the man, "and the second," he placed a lot of emphasis on the last word before he continued with the next, "is going to be how he got here." He then leaned back into his chair and removed the cane, the man fell forward immediately, his hands on his neck in some strange attempt to sooth it somehow by touching it, which was ridiculous, stupid, and pointless. But Rumpelstiltskin sat in silence, patient silence as he waited for the man to regain his voice.

"I swear I don't know."

The side of Rumpelstiltskin's face twitched ever so slightly at the same response he'd been receiving for the past half hour, he then stamped the cane in front of him, this made the man jump back in fear, Rumpelstiltskin placed both his hands atop the cane and began to speak, "You see, I find that hard to believe." His voice was tinged in a rough Scottish accent that often came to the foreground during fits of uncontrollable rage.

"I didn't even know he was back," the man continued, now beginning to breathe more normally, but his large eyes still frantically skipping from his capturer and the nearest door. Rumpelstiltskin noticed this immediately and smacked the top of the cane on the wall next to the man's head, inciting a jump and immediate attention to Rumpelstiltskin.

"Mr. Smee, it seems we are at a crossroads," Smee gulped ever so slightly, wincing as he did and nervously pulling his red beanie from his head and twisting it nervously in his hands. "You can either tell me what I want to know or-"

Smee cut Rumpelstiltskin off, "As you may remember, Dark One, I am a procurer of rare objects and being that the information of my Captain, erm former master is still yet unknown, perhaps we could make a deal."

Rumpelstiltskin leaned back into the chair, a wicked grin twisting his features and in the shadow he looked exactly like the Dark One all of Storybrooke once fully feared. "Well, a deal may always be struck when both parties have something they want. You will have something I want – what is it you want? Your life, because that is all I will offer you."

Smee looked nervous but too scared to argue with the terms of the deal, he was about to agree, when Rumpelstiltskin held up a finger and continued, "Oh, and if you fail to give me the information I want within the next 24 hours," he stopped and laughed a little to himself and then continued. "Well, let's leave that up to your imagination, shall we.."

…..

Grannies was booming with people during lunch, it had taken Emma almost ten minutes to find a decent seat. She was nestled at a small table In the back corner, nursing a cup of warm coco with cinnamon swirling in the last melting clouds of whipped cream in the mug. She glanced over at Mary-Margaret and David or rather Snow White and Charming, whatever. They were both nestled in a booth together, both on the same side talking quietly; every now and then Charming would plant a kiss on his wife's forehead, eliciting a shy grin from Snow White. Emma tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear as she focus back at her mug of coco and returned to her previous thoughts, such as Regina and the possibly new hellish antics the woman would be brewing for her and Henry, whom, Emma glanced at her wrist watch, would be out of school in the next hour or so.

Half an hour or so passed and Emma was considering leaving Grannies, the foot traffic considerably lessened at this point, when the chair across from her was pulled out and a tall man slid into it. His dark eyes shining mischievously, perhaps if Emma had not been in her own head she would have noticed the silence that fell in the diner only seconds before when he had entered.

"Hello Emma.."

Emma looked at him, raising her chin ever so slightly, taken aback by the man that now sat infront of her, smugly smirking as he casually reached across the table taking her mug of coco and sipping it.

"Hook," she mused, partly surprised but then again she now lived in a world of magic, so she was never really fazed too much anymore. So she was more curious at his reasons for being here, what or whom he was after.

"So, do I need to ask you why you're here or would that just be a waste of my time?"

He laughed, setting the now empty mug back onto the counter, heavily as he was accustomed to doing so in bars. "Yeah that would be a bit of a waste.." he responded as he leaned back in the chair, eyes still locked with hers as ran a hand through the short mess of black hair on his head, then falling to his ear to fiddle with his earring.

"You know, I have half the mind to shoot you for leaving me with that giant."

"You were never in any real harm." Emma responded in her annoyed sort of offhanded tone she always seemed to be using.

"Be that as it may, you tricked me."

Emma smiled and leaned towards him, her arms crossed on the table as she said, "Well, perhaps you shouldn't have been undressing me so much with your eyes and you could have seen the handcuffs."

Hook leaned in, elbows on the table as one hand reached over to Emma's hair and twirled a lock of blonde hair saying, "Perhaps I did see the cuffs."

Emma pulled back and snorted out a laugh, got up and grabbed the jacket off the back of her chair. In response he stood up as well, watching her slip on the small red coat, pulling her hair out of the back of it she never took her eyes off him.

"So, really, what are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing to worry about Emma, just catching up with some old friends."

"You don't have friends."

Hook Smiled a brilliant toothy grin and began to walk out of the diner, she watched him go, a light swarthy swagger in each step as he made for the door. He pushed the door open, a cold wind hitting his face and making the lapels on his old coat fly up as he turned back to Emma and said, "I'll being seeing you Miss Swan" and then left.

"I'm sure you will…" She said to herself, all traces of amusement gone from her face, her arms crossed she pulled out her cell and called Snow White, they needed to talk. Hook was up to something and his nonchalant evasion and flirtatious meeting was a warning. He was letting her know he'd made it somehow from her parent's old realm and whatever he was up to, people where defiantly going to get hurt. Raising the most important question and fear, did Regina's mother make it through as well?

…

Belle stood outside her father's floral shop, biting her lower lip and considering what to do. She had said just barely a week ago she never wanted to see him again, but then again she'd also said that to Rumpelstiltskin and just yesterday morning she was in his shop kissing him.

She could feel her cheeks getting warmer at the thought of yesterday morning, Belle still couldn't believe she'd been so forceful with that kiss, it was very unlike her and just the thought of it in retrospect was embarrassing.

But with thoughts of yesterday morning followed the thoughts of yesterday afternoon, of the strange man pointing a gun at Rumpelstiltskin and the chivalrous greeting she'd received from him before he left.

"_Killian Jones, pleasure."_

Belle shook her head, those brown curls bouncing lightly in the sunlight as she continued her walk, deciding that visiting her father was perhaps not the best choice at the moment. It was obvious that she and Rumpelstiltskin and god knew how many more would in danger of this man.

Belle was on her way to Rumpelstiltskin's shop, he'd promised her an explanation, though she wondered how much of the truth she'd get. He always had such trouble with being honest with her and speaking his mind, always so afraid he'd lose her, which was ironic because it was that type of thinking that always drove her away.

Belle slipped into the back of the store, she always took the long route anywhere, for she absolutely loved a long walk even if the weather was a bit nippy. She hung her maroon jacket on the coat hanger next to the back door atop Rumpelstiltskin's wool coat and black scarf.

She had opened the back door quietly enough so the bell on the top of the door barely made a sound as she'd entered. She loved to surprise Rumpelstiltskin with her visits even if they were of a rather serious nature, such as the topic of men with guns. She heard him out front talking to a customer, sounded like grumpy who wanted his pick axe back after some angry yelling and some snarky comments from Gold, Grumpy left, empty handed and angrier than ever – slamming the front door behind him.

Belle tucked her hair behind one ear and waited, smiling for Rumpelstiltskin to make his way into the back room.

Soon enough he was pushing through the curtain, he had his left hand around his right wrist, clenching and unclenching his right hand, and he stopped as soon as he stepped through the curtain, dropping his hands.

"Belle," he said in surprise, though a smile began to curve his thin lips.

"What's wrong with your hand?" she asked, worried, as she walked the small space quickly, grabbing his hand. He pulled his hand from her grasp, leaving her to stand in quiet astonishment at his actions.

"I strained my muscles in that arm moving some items in the shop today that's all."

She furrowed her brows, already he was lying to her, she could tell.

Rumpelstiltskin limped a step closer to her, his step more timid as he was walking without his cane, careful to put as little weight as possible on the horrible limb. It had only been a little over a day since he'd seen her, but he desperately wanted to close the space between them. He reached over to one of her hands with his own, delicately interlacing his thin nimble fingers with her own. She looked up at him, still upset with his evasion, but he ignored the look, "How was your day at the library, Belle?"

"Rumpelstiltskin, I need you to be honest with me."

"Of course."

"Who was the man pointing the gun at you yesterday?"

"I think you mean why, dearie."

"I thought the first question would be a little easier for you to answer."

"Presume nothing, dearie."

He let go of her hand, and limped back out to the front of the store. The atmosphere in the room seemed to change completely, Rumpelstiltskin's eyes had gotten darker and his smile had been replaced with a thin line of a mouth and an impish demeanor began to possess him.

She heard him lock the front door and flip the sign to CLOSED, she walked out to the front of the shop, he was leaning against the back of one of the display cases facing her. His blazer laid neatly across the desk to the other side of him. He played absent mindedly with a ring on his right hand, looking at her with a dark intensity she hadn't seen since she'd been at the Dark Castle.

"Rumpelstiltskin?"

"That's my name Dearie, always has been, always will be!" He said in that unmistakably sing-songy voice of the Dark One.

Belle froze, uncomfortable at the regression that had just taken place before her eyes.

"Rumpelstiltskin.."

"No need to keep saying my name, dearie I'm already here." He quipped.

"I see that." She remarked, her accent sharp. She crossed her arms, "So, you where going to tell me about that man."

He stared at her for a long time and she began to wonder if he was actually going to tell her or just tell her to leave. After what seemed like an eternity and a half he spoke, this time his voice measured and back to its normal measured deepness.

"Captain Hook, his name is Captain Hook."

"Why is he after you?" Belle asked, shaking her head in confusion stepping closer to Rumpelstiltskin, he wanted to be away from her when he told her. He didn't want to be able to clearly see what the truth would do to the woman he loved.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" He inhaled sharply fighting the instinct to snap back at her with his monstrous quips, closing his eyes he chose his words carefully. He could smell her perfume now, she was very close. Uncomfortably close for what he was about to say, he didn't open his eyes but saying it out loud would be all the courage he could muster without having to look into her face while saying it too, so he finally spoke,

"I killed Captain Hook's true love."

Belle stepped back from him. His eyes down cast, he watched her feet as she took another step away from him in silence.

Rumpelstiltskin's heart throbbed painfully in his chest, the silence was worse than angry words or tears, because all Belle did was silently walk out of his shop, without a word to him or even a glance back as he watched her go.

The door clicked close with a finality that Rumpelstiltskin wasn't sure he could handle, Belle was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Please leave a review, It helps encourage me to write more, and ideas or questions are always welcome. Well, enjoy.

**GOLD ON THE CEILING**

"Thank you again, both of you." Belle said graciously as she folded one of her loose woolen sweaters and placed it into the small chest of drawers next to her new bed. Snow White crossed her arms and laughed at her new roommate, partly at the endearing quality of Belle and also in her own disbelief that Belle was more polite than she.

"No, it's the least we could do!" Snow gushed as she leaned on the door frame to the small room, watching as Belle continued to unpack her things. Belle looked back at her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and smiling, "It's more than that, Snow.." Belle continued as she stood straight up and stopped unpacking momentarily.

"I know," Snow said, she glanced back over her shoulder at Emma who stood at the kitchen counter licking peanut butter off a knife she had just used to make peanut butter toast. "We know." Snow looked back at Belle, who stood with her hands in front of her clasped and an embarrassed smile curving her lips.

"It's so crazy, I love him with all my heart," Belle sat down, pushing her bag from the center of the bed and placing it onto the ground as Snow White sat down next to her to listen. "But, there's this evil that's taken root in him, actually, it's this evil that's always been there since I've known him. And I know he's done…" Belle chose her words carefully. "…bad things. But I've always been able to look past it, but this…" Belle's words trailed off as she got lost in her internal thoughts. Snow grabbed her hand and squeezed it comfortingly, "Belle, Its okay. I know you love him, and honestly I think he needs someone to love him, I'm happy someone cares for him." Belle was pulled from her thoughts and met eyes with snow, a look of slight disbelief on her face. Snow White continued and as she did a smile began to brighten her face, "You are what keeps that human part of him, however small, glowing. Personally, I think he's more human now than he ever was and he was honest with you. That's a good thing, right?" Snow added enthusiastically, Belle let a small laugh grace and brighten her worried features. "Yeah, it is ."

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Emma walked into the room chewing a piece of toast and holding her plate with the other piece on it close to her.

Snow and Belle looked up at Emma, who had peanut butter smeared haphazardly on each piece of toast and a few smears near her mouth. They both laughed, Emma's eyebrows raised in uncertainty, "Are you two okay or do I need to call Dr. Whale?" She was now walking back to the kitchen, the girly atmosphere making her uncomfortable, like at any moment her mother might try to talk relationship stuff with her, and that would just be too much. She placed the plate down onto the counter and picked up her glass of milk, sipping it as she looked back over at Snow and Belle, who were both talking intensely at one another again.

Emma leaned against the counter, and glanced out the window as they continued to chat. Belle had moved in with her and Snow last night, apparently her and Mr. Gold were not on the best of terms lately. Emma snorted out a quiet laugh, wondering to herself how long it would be until Gold showed up today commanding to speak to Belle. Emma thought on this for another moment, Gold had been, since she'd met him, very measured, clam, methodical, and emotionally withdrawn from any situation. He was heartless as well and fueled only by his need for power or to exert it in some form, and it would be putting it nicely to say, he was a difficult man to love. More like impossible.

But then there was Belle, Emma glanced from the window back across the room to Snow and Belle. Belle, whose reappearance after twenty eight years had sent that heartless beast Rumpelstiltskin to his hands and knees, groveling like a peasant at her feet by love's affliction. Rumpelstiltskin was a devilish imp that the entire town steered clear of, either from past experiences with the 'beast' or from the hearsay of tales and stories that seemed to swarm about him like an impenetrable mist, which was the cause of Emma's unrelenting uncertainty towards the Imp even after everything she'd gone through with him and perhaps that was why she was still suspicious of him.

It was half past ten and Emma had to be up at the Station soon, so she grabbed her keys, gun, holster, and jacket and gave her roommates a wave of farewell and slipped out of the apartment building within seconds, dispelling all previous thoughts on Scoundrel, Mr. Gold.

Emma's walk to the station was short, like most treks throughout the town she rarely needed the assistance of a motor vehicle. Emma was not an early riser, but she did enjoy the silence in her walk to work so she often took side streets and back roads instead of using the main strip than ran through the town. And it was on this tranquil walk before the bustle of fairytale mayhem that she would be bombarded with at the station that she saw the small huddled form of a man lying unconscious in a deserted alley way next to Grannies. Emma ran immediately to the man's side, she didn't know him but recognized him, as she often saw him walking about the town from time to time. He was badly bruised and a small amount of blood trickled from his temple and lower jaw. Emma knelt down and placed to fingers to his throat, feeling for a pulse, it was slow but measured. She frowned deeply as she looked down at the injured man in the red beanie. What was bothering Emma and caused her hesitance at calling the hospital was the strangely familiar bruising marks upon the man's arms, though the bruising on the face was usually indicative of punching and was inconsistent with her theory on the perpetrator, she had an idea who might be behind this regardless..

Pulling out her cell and dialing the hospital, Emma felt her heart get heavy at what she might be telling Belle later tonight, if she was right.

It was a strained walk to the medicine cabinet, wanting to free any sort of unnecessary pressure to his right hand, Gold had forgone the cane as soon as he had entered his home. Effortlessly plying the cabinet mirror open with left hand, he dropped his right shoulder sliding his immaculately tailored suit jacket off and hung over the door handle behind him. Gold let a slightly perturbed sigh pass his thinly pressed lips as his narrowed eyes impatiently scanned the shelves of the medicine cabinet for a bottle of peroxide and a pack of bandages.

After the tedious and eternal search, he found a bottle of alcohol and one over large bandage, in a sudden rush of rage at the unsatisfying find in his cabinet, Gold, rather harshly threw the small bandage box to the ground along with the alcohol.

Reaching down to his left and groaning loudly as he leaned back to sit onto the edge of his bathtub, the pressure on his gnarled right leg making him go rigid with pain as he finally just let his leg slip out from underneath him and fell heavily onto the edge of the tub. Grimacing he then adjusted his seat on the tub and rested his arms on his knees.

Gold tried to steady his temper, clenching and unclenching his left hand in the unexpressed rage still coursing through veins, it was like a fire burning through a forest in hungry desire to desimate everything in its path. Gold clenched his jaw, so much was still unanswered, the ship hand had proved to be of little help. Which was unfortunate for Smee, disappointing Rumpelstiltskin was unheard of back in their realm. He had little patience for it.

As the small town of Storybrooke most likely knew now, that much had certainly not changed in Rumpelstiltskin.

Loosening his tie, he then glanced down at his immobile hand; the pain there was unrelenting and constant, and if possible worse now than it had been at the initial injury. He breathed out at another unsuccessful attempt at claiming some grip upon the anger that was still burning through him. He held his left hand over the other, from his fingertips a slight purple mist began to appear from nowhere and slowly engulfed his hand, the ragged tan skin on his knuckles began pull back together from where it had ripped at contact with Smee's jaw. The bruising began to fade, but at that the magical purple haze began to dissipate. After a moment the magic was gone, against Gold's will. The bruising appeared again on his hand, magic was very queer in this realm.

Gold settled with the fact that his skin was no longer broken, he would have to accommodate the bruises, and there was no riding himself of them today. His magic here seemed to come and go, it had an unpredictability that caused another pang of annoyance to tug at his mind. But he had no time for that at the moment; the problem right now was Hook. If only he could find out where Hook was exactly, then perhaps he would be able to finish this once and for all, after of course he figured out how to fully harness his magic, so there was that pang of annoyance again.

Then there was Belle, they had not spoken in a few days, with painful slowness that caused anxiety to simmer in him and grow at an alarmingly fast pace as his hand had been unsuccessful at healing in the days since he had snapped and nearly beaten Smee to death for his incompetence.

In truth Rumpelstiltskin had known It would have been unlikely for Smee to have accomplished anything, but the last few days there had been this cruelness boiling up through the anxiety and the impulses of wickedness where much stronger in the dark one.

_Perhaps that is love_, he mused. He stared absentmindedly at the black and blue that patterned his right hand. Love was a double edged sword, a gift and a curse. Of course, he'd always known this, and most of all it was a weakness. For as much as he should be worrying about Cora, he was fixated on Hook and his ever present threat to Belle.

Gold was pulled from his internal repose by a loud knock on his door, at first he considered ignoring it, but the person was persistent. After a strangled fit of wincing and haggard grasping of doors and tables to make his way back to the front door, he opened it as the person was mid knock once again.

"What," he hissed in wicked anger as he pulled the door open only a few inches, "Could possibly be so important that you found it acceptable to beat on my door like a festering plague of a beggar, Regina?" Each word had been said with such poison and unbelievable hatred that Regina was caught slightly off guard at the magical dealmaker. He gave her a vicious grin, "Well Dearie?"

She flipped her hair back with a slight nod of her head as she regained her composure.

"I think you know."

"You know, I'm not much in the mood for games today, your highness." He said with such sickly sweet sarcasm, Regina had to resist the impulse to slap him.

"Cora," she said almost cutting him off as she attempted to let herself in, he only stood up straighter squaring his shoulders slightly as if daring her to try to step in again. "Let me in, we need to talk about this."

"You see, the thing is, we really don't." he then started to close the door on the gnat ever plaguing his days. She slammed her hand against the door, returning his previously wicked smile back at him through glistening red lips, Regina ever dressed to kill.

"Oh, but we do. You have just as much reason to worry about Cora as I do."

"You know," he began with his usual cool demeanor. "I seem to remember you needed, how I shall I put it, assistance." Placing an enormous amount of emphasis on the last word, his horrible white and gold teeth bared inhumanly at the queen. "In killing your mother, whom you actually failed to kill, now perhaps it's just me dearie but it seems you," he said eyes narrowing and nostrils flaring ever so slightly. "are the one who needs to talk, not me." He breathed as he attempted to close the door, she stopped it again, his mouth twitched as he tilted his head and started to speak again, but she interjected.

"That may be true, but no matter how you managed, and I use that word loosely, to defeat my mother is irrelevant because things are different now."

"Do tell Dearie."

"You have someone you care about now. You have a weakness."

And there it was. Gold stiffened and frowned at Regina, eyes still narrowed. She was right; he did have a weakness now, Belle. It was of course, obvious and he knew it. As he had been mercilessly trying to rid himself of Hook he had put Cora on the back burners of his mind momentarily, one problem at a time. Gold then started to let a small malicious smirk toy with his lips and realization dawned on him.

It was a look Regina remembered well, all too well. It was the look on the imp's face that only appeared when he realized a deal was about to be struck.

He was right of course, Regina had come to strike a deal, to join forces in a communal effort to rid Cora from their lives.

"Well, lucky for you. When Snow white and Emma returned, I was prudent enough to form a contingency plan just in case Cora and Hook found another way."

He opened his door to this home, Regina nodded and strode in.

"Because as we both well know, your highness. There is more than one way to skin a cat."

Regina smiled to herself at his quip, "All too well."

They stopped in his dining room and Regina stood arms crossed as she faced him, he had picked up his cane as he closed the door behind Regina earlier.

"So, what is your brilliant plan?" she said sarcastically.

"Well, what does Cora want?"

"Power, of course."

"Yes, a weakness I'm afraid all of us share."

The queen's bemused smile widen, "A weakness you paid for."

He laughed at this, and placed both hands on the top of his cane, his eyes flicking back to Regina behind a few wisps of brown hair.

"Your relationship with Henry will…" he searched for the right words, and smiled to himself as he continued. "it will be tested, so to speak."

"and yours with Belle."

He smiled grimly, "Yes."

Rumpelstiltskin turned slightly, motioning with his free hand for Regina to follow him through his kitchen, through the French doors in his kitchen and out into the backyard and to the cellar doors. He roughing pulled the doors open and motioned her to go in, "Ladies first." He quipped sardonically.

The Queen stared icily at Rumpelstiltskin, she stared at the once poor peasant spinner who'd fumbeled cowardly through his life and into power. Of the man who once spent his entire human life within the confines of a dirty hovel, hands cut, calloused, and covered with dirt. Whose own wife had left him because of his cowardice, of the man who found power out of desperate love for his only son.

Regina smiled tightly and stepped down into the cellar, the dark one Rumpelstiltskin may be, but at his core he was still a coward, and at this Regina too began her own contingency plan, against him.

Against the weakness of true love that turned his once dark inhumanly beast like heart into something else, into something almost human.

His incomprehensible care towards Henry was evidence enough, when he had handed over a piece of magic that was as infinity as powerful and rare as it was invaluable, Rumpelstiltskin had changed.

And Regina had to be prepared to be able to make the decisions that he might not be able to when the time came.

**AUTHOR END NOTE: **Sorry, this chapter went on a bit longer than the last two but there was so much I wanted to get done so I could start writing some more Hook/Belle/Rumpelstiltskin scenes in the next chapter. Just bear with me it's going to get good again I swear!


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **So, I'm watching the Disney version of Beauty & the Beast as I'm writing this, so hopefully that's a good thing! Enjoy and as always, please review. Also, If any of you are interested I just posted a short chapter of a new Rumpelstiltskin and Belle story, that you all may find quite interesting if you like the concept of a story taking place in the fairytale world where Rumpelstiltskin goes from Dark One back to…well, you'll have to read to find out. (:

**GOLD ON THE CEILING**

The room was small, though he'd needed nothing more than a bed, his time was spent elsewhere. In fact there where nights he would not return to the charmingly small bed and breakfast, there was a nostalgia to the place, as if the proprietor was attempting to recreate a bit of their old world within the small building. But with nostalgia was memories and with memories there was pain, and Captain Hook had not spent twenty eight long years in search of a portal to this world to drown his woes in the comfort of a deep mug in a pub.

At least, not every night.

He leaned against the bar in the diner; it seemed to function as the town's pub once the sun went down. He had a large lazy grin spread across his face as he watched Ruby poor him another glass of rum, a swarthy expression of the utmost mischievous intentions toyed with his lips. One hand pressed into the mess of black hair and staring, unwavering at his prey, his dark bedroom eyes hungrily stalking Ruby as she prepped his unnecessarily fancy rum based drink.

Ruby placed it onto the counter in front of him, the glass making a small thudding noise and she held her hand around the glass a little longer than necessary to give his gaze time to look back up at her. She was all red lips, dark eyes, and dark long hair, the Captain gave her a wolfish grin.

"You're a persistent, lass." He stated.

"Would you have noticed me otherwise?" she questioned, feigning innocence, as if any man would miss the tall leggy woman in a skirt that was so short it was just barely socially acceptable. Not even taking into account the color of the skirt, which screamed whore, but a wholesome whore, she was Red Riding Hood after all. She did have a certain bit of class, well sort of.

Hook laughed heartily, "Point taken," he took a long gulp of the drink, hand still grasping the glass he pointed a finger at her, a thought occurring to him mid gulp, he placed the glass down with a finality that let Ruby know even before she glanced down, that it was empty. "You would have made a good-"

"Pirate?" she questioned before giving him a chance to answer, he chuckled at her poignancy but continued, "No, I was going to say barmaid." He tilted his head slightly, waiting for his words to sink in and recognition dawn on Ruby's face. Her expression darkened, giving Hook a glimpse at the creature she truly was, she rolled her eyes and let the tension and anger out of her shoulders and stalked away to help a customer across the diner, giving him a sarcastic smirk as she left.

"Making Friends?" a voice deadpanned from behind him.

Hook just looked up and laughed, "Sherriff Swan," he then turned to her and placed both elbows on the counter behind him leaning back and raising his eyebrows suggestively at her. "We've got to stop meeting like this, people will start to talk."

"People already talk." She stated, un-amused.

He pushed himself off the barstool, throwing a crumpled five dollar bill onto the counter for Ruby and strode past Swan, the captain's duster flapping slightly behind him as he exited the Diner. Emma's frown, if possible, deepened as she turned on heel and followed him out.

It was a clear night, stars in the sky, shining diamond white in a sea of sapphire and cerulean, with not a cloud in the sky to blemish the beautiful scene.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hook said, having stopped on the sidewalk to stare up at the sky, hands in the deep pockets of his overcoat.

"You're drunk." Emma said, jogging slightly down the steps from Grannies to catch up with him, arms crossed and hands rubbing the exposed flesh of her forearms. It had been warmer that day, so she hadn't worn one of her signature blue or red leather jackets.

"It reminds me of being at sea, it's a wonderful feeling.." he said, an air nostalgia hitting him like a freight train. It was in this moment Hook realized it wasn't just the Bed and Breakfast, but the entire town, it had subtle reminders of their homelands everywhere, regardless of how drunk a man made himself, he had to remember, it was most likely part of the curse, of course.

"What is?" Emma asked, walked slowing towards him, beginning to shiver slightly and wishing he hadn't decided to leave the Diner.

"The feeling and adventure of uncertainty, of adventure and the winds," at that word he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply as the air around him turned to wind and caressed his face and hair, the autumn air whipping about them ever so slightly then dissipating again. "…the winds that could take you anywhere, the freedom, Emma." He turned around to face her, she was only a few feet from him, eyebrows furrowed and shaking, he stared at her unmoving, waiting for a response he knew was coming.

"Yeah, I think I know a little about that."

A smile slowly curved Hook's lips, but it wasn't a swarthy or playful smile he usually wore, but a small one, almost warm? He took the short strides to Emma and rolled his shoulders back and slid off his coat, sweeping it around her shoulders.

Emma's eyebrows popped up in surprise and she let one hand grasp a lapel of the old heavy coat, her mouth hanging open just for a moment, she regained her composure after a moment and responded in barely concealed disbelief, "So now you're going to be a gentleman?"

"I'm always a gentleman." He countered as he leaned in, pulling the lapels closer to her neck, as to combat any cold air against Emma, he lingered for a moment as Ruby had done to him earlier in the bar. His nose almost touching Emma's as she stood, once more surprised into baffling silence by the continually unpredictable pirate, staring into his dark bedroom eyes. Killian Jones tilted his chin slightly and his head, his breathing just a tick faster than it had been before, Emma had a peculiar effect on him.

"But there are times…" he muttered quietly, hands still gently grasping the lapels of the coat, as he stepped closer and closed the space between him and Emma. After a moment of ragged nervous breathing Emma found her voice, "Times when, what?" she breathed in exasperated frustration, her blonde locks of hair curling over her face in the wind. Killian smiled and took one hand from the lapels he still grasped and lightly brushed the hair from her face, with delicate fingers and then let his hand rest against the side of Emma's face, letting his thumb rub absentmindedly against her flawlessly snow white skin.

"But there are times, Miss Swan…" he paused for a moment, leaning in unfathomably close now, his lips an inch from Emma's and when he spoke they grazed her lips, "when I am a scoundrel." And just for a moment did he kiss Emma.

And for a moment, Emma remembered that free feeling, the wind in her hair and then unending sky and the rise and setting of a sun and a horizon with endless possibilities.

….

The following morning Emma leaned against the kitchen counter, stuffing a slice of toast smeared with grape jelly into her mouth as she listened to the bright and cheerful banter of her roommates. Emma was in her usual laced up brown boots, jeans, plaid shirt and red leather jacket. Hook's coat was tucked safely away in the trunk of her car, as too avoid conversation on a situation she still wasn't sure if she wanted to discuss with Mary Margaret and Belle.

Belle was wearing a pair of high legged tan boots, skinny jeans, and an adorable teal sweater top that snugged all the right places of her petit curvy body. Her russet hair was in loose curls that fell down her back as she took a sip of orange juice and laughed loudly at Mary Margaret's story.

Snow White was also in jeans, but she wore a pair of fur boots and a cream colored oversized wool sweater, her short dark hair and red lips as beautiful as the day Prince Charming had broken the curse upon her.

Eventually Belle stood up grabbing her plate and attempting to grab Snow's, who refused to allow Belle to clean any dishes normally, much less her dishes as well.

"So what are you up to today, Belle?" Emma asked nonchalant as she grabbed the keys for her car as she headed to the door.

"Oh, the library as usual. Perhaps I'll go to Grannies for lunch." She smiled warmly.

"Hey, if you go to Grannies could you pick me up a hot chocolate?"

"Of course! Maybe I could just get us both something and we could have lunch together at the station." Belle considered out loud, Belle had always been considered to be very odd and back in their world did not have many true friends to call her own. Lately she had been brimming with happiness and excitement at the concept of making plans and spending time with Emma and Snow.

"Yeah, sounds good. See you around one-ish?" Emma said halfway out the door.

"At one!" Belle stated enthusiastically, Mary Margaret waved goodbye to Emma as she closed the door and began to make her way over to the sink to clean her own dishes.

"You know Belle, you can't avoid him forever. Believe me, I would know, I once tried to avoid Charming and-" Snow made a mock grimacing face as the memory always made her smile.

"He always seemed to find you?"

"Always." Snow smiled, looking up from the sink and across the room to Belle who was pulling her white pea coat off the coat hanger by the door.

"I know, it's just, I feel awful you know, for reacting the way I did. I mean I needed my own place anyway, but I just walked out on him, no explanation. I shudder to think what he may even think of me now, he must hate me." Belle finished, her blue eyes furrowed by eyebrows laden with worry.

Snow shut the sink off and walked across the room to Belle, grabbing her purse from the kitchen table and a pink scarf from the coat rack next to Belle, she placed a comforting hand on Belle's arm and simply said "True love can overcome anything, Belle."

….

The endless ringing of the bell above his door was driving him mad, he was in no mood to be in the pawn store today, Gold had half a mind to just close early and call it a day.

It had been over a week since he had seen his Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin ran a tanned and calloused hand threw his ragged mess of brown hair, tinged ever so lightly with grey. He was in a black suit, pink dress shirt, and black tie, he loosened the tie, fidgeting as his mind obsessed over Belle.

If he could just talk to her, but no, he did not deserve to talk to her, though he appeared to be curse free and human, he was not. He was still a monster, with a fetid twisted ghoulish soul that deserved no kindness, and certainly love, god, her love.

The thought of Belle nowadays was less of a heart flipping sensation and more of a heart gripping pain, an anguishing reminder of his mistakes and loss.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" a small dwarfish man yelled as he practically kicked the door open to the small establishment. He charged in like a bull with rabies.

"I want my axe!"

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes narrowed, but ever the businessman he slithered around the glass display cases and pulled up a long box from behind a case, setting it on top he opened it to display the axe.

"Of course, Dearie you can have anything you desire, for a price of course." He trilled, and there it was that dark one clause that made the gluttonous selfish desires of the dark one pry up from the crevices of his mangled soul.

"No, no price 'stiltskin, I'm just here to claim what's mine!" he growled matter of factly as he snatched up the axe and began to stroll out of the shop. The sheer gall the dwarf had, to turn his back to the dark one, made Rumpelstiltskin's rage explode.

Before Grumpy's hand was even on the door his face was slammed into the door, an impish giggle bubbled from the shop owner's lips as he held the small man against the door harshly. There was this terrifyingly abnormal strength to the normally crippled shop owner that made all of the Dwarf's courage almost shrivel up and die.

Rumpelstiltskin twisted him around and then slammed his back into the door, hands gripping the front of his shirt as he leaned in menacingly, "Fine! You want your axe?!" his teeth barred like some great growling beast. Rumpelstiltskin flicked his wrist and the axe that the dwarf in surprise had dropped from the Imp's sudden attack was now clasped firmly in one of Rumpelstiltskin's hands, he continued his enraged banter, "You can have it! . !" he raised it slightly, toying with the dwarf.

"Well?"

The dwarf was silent, staring silently in slightly quavering defeat at the face of the dark one, a victorious grin began to twist the imp's lips.

"I thought as much." Rumpelstiltskin quipped mockingly, wrinkling his nose slightly as he dropped the dwarf and stepped back, the axe was gone – no doubt magic'd back into its rightful place within the shop. Rumpelstiltskin leaned against one of the display cases, his twisted limb aching horribly from the sudden attack he'd made on the dwarf.

Grumpy exited quickly, leaving Rumpelstiltskin alone, he flipped the sign to closed and limped painfully back to his cane and into the back room in search of pain medication.

Since deciding to work with Regina and constant practicing of magic that followed, he was starting to regain a lot of his power, but at a cost. It seemed his body in this world was almost completely human, making it very difficult to practice magic for any length of time or use it for that matter. It wore him out immensely and caused his war worn limb to ache worse. His temper had been uncontrollable, though that being due to magic or the stress between him and Belle, he was not completely sure.

He was sitting at the bench next to his spinning wheel, having successfully found and taken some Advil. He cowered there in defeated, in silent reflection of his own human and beastly weakness alike. His worn, nibble fingers beginning to ply at the wheel, spinning wool and straw together, mindlessly his hands worked. Lost in his thoughts he almost did not hear the phone ring, luckily it was on the table directly behind him, so he simply turned around and picked up the receiver.

"Yes?" he asked rather tersely, having been pulled from his revere.

"Gold, this is Emma."

"Yes, I noticed."

"Then I'm sure you're aware that we need to talk." She stated.

"How _is_ the search for Cora going?" he deflected, Emma ignored his response and continued.

"Look, I can either go down to your shop and take you into the station by force or you could just hobble down here yourself, your choice."

"What unnecessarily descriptive options you have given me, Miss Swan." He sneered into the phone, attempting to cap his anger towards her remark towards his leg, he rubbed his knee absentmindedly.

"You know I have a feeling that the image of you being pulled in for questioning in hand cuffs in front of the entire town is not exactly something you'd want, am I right?"

"Indeed not." He responded matter of factly his extremely Scottish lilt infecting his voice as he began to stand.

"So?"

"Alright, I'll be there in half an hour."

He hung up the phone before she had time to respond.

….

Emma pulled drawer after drawer of her desk open, after another pathetic and failed search she slumped to her elbows on the desk. Glancing at the clock across the room she frowned and her stomach growled, Belle was thirty minutes late. And Emma having expected Belle's presence for lunch had not bought anything from Grannies for herself for later, so now she sat in silence in the police station alone, but more importantly without food.

She was about to give up on the beauty when she heard hurried steps and then like magic Belle appeared with a flustered but happy expression and a brown bag of food.

Emma jumped from her seat and hurriedly made her way around her desk to help Belle pull the contents of food from the bag.

The first thing Emma grabbed was a chicken salad sandwich, one of her favorites, she immediately stopped her pillaging of the brown paper bag and ripped the plastic wrap off the sandwich and shoved almost half into her mouth, her mouth bulging with food as she attempted to chew without the assistance of a drink.

Belle laughed as she watched her friend eat, "Are you okay?"

Emma swallowed, "Just starving." Emma remarked taking another hungry bite, she then leaned over the bag and looked for a drink, with her free hand she fished out a small individual can of Crush orange soda, she looked at it a moment then looked at Belle an eyebrow raised.

Belle was eating strawberries from a small Styrofoam container, her deer wide blue eyes looked from the can to Emma's bewildered expression, she then smiled rather wildly, "Isn't orange soda the most wonderful thing in this world next to iced tea?"

At this Emma laughed and took a swig from it, she passed it back to Belle, who took a swip herself.

"You certainly are an odd one." Emma said smiling in her rather boyish way.

"I've heard that one before." Belle said jokingly, she then set down the strawberries. "By the way, where is the restroom?" she inquired, rather awkwardly.

Emma pointed back to the hallway she'd entered from and said between mouthfuls of sandwich, "next to the soda machine" and "you can't miss it".

Almost as soon as Belle went to the restroom did the town scourge limp in, finely dressed in a fitted tailored suit as usual.

Emma took another swig of orange soda and walked from her office out into the main room with the vacant deputy desk and jail cell in front of her.

"Gold." She said, narrowing her eyes as she leaned back onto the desk. He simply curled both hands around the top of his cane as he stared at her, exuding a sort of serene domineering atmosphere around him.

"Miss Swan." He remarked in return, in his usual Scottish deep breathy voice. "What can I do for you?"

"You can start by telling me why you almost beat the life out of that man in the alley last week."

"What?" he responded in feigned surprise. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap Gold."

He took a step closer to Emma, not unlike the closeness she'd had with Hook the night before, though the difference was in this Closeness to gold she felt a very sinister, almost dangerous threat to his presence.

"Remember who you're talking to, Dearie."

"I wasn't scared of you before and I sure as hell am not scared of you now, Rumpelstiltskin."

"You know, you're either really brave or just stupid, but either way I like you Miss Swan."

Emma stared, eyes narrowed and arms crossed, he continued, circling her as he did.

"That's why I'm going to give you a little warning, Dearie." He stopped behind her, the breathe of his words hitting her neck and making her hair stand on end.

"There are things you can't even begin to understand about the world you come from. And that, specifically includes me," he growled his voice harsh and unmeasured. "The unfortunate accident that befell Mr. Smee is what happens when a deal is not upheld."

"So it was you."

"I never said that, Dearie!" his voice began to thrill with impish, no devilish glee. "But a deal is a deal, and well-"he laughed to himself at his next thought, "let's just say bad things tend to happen to bad people."

"Is that a threat?" she turned around to him sharply.

Rumpelstiltskin pushed the blonde hair from his face and toyed with a strand playfully as he responded, "Observation." He smiled wickedly, his large dark brown orbs mischievously waiting for her response.

Emma pulled away and then turned around to him, a few feet away again.

"What are you up to?"

No longer amused by games or deflection, the pain in his knee returning he narrowed his eyes and simply said, "You know Miss Swan, my business is well, my business. Try and get in my way," he paused, letting his eyes rake over her slightly, sizing her up and gaging her response – she gave nothing up and stared stony faced.

"Well let's just say the last thing you will need to worry about is Henry's wellbeing."

"Rumpelstiltskin?"

Rumpelstiltskin's heart jumped to his throat, as he turned and saw Belle standing in the room a look of confusion on her face. Emma looked from him to her and back again, she started to take her leave but stopped, "We're not done here, Gold." She said and then made her way out of the station to give them space.

Rumpelstiltskin stared at Belle, his mouth moving slightly, trying to find his voice, his leg throbbed and his palms became sweaty and suddenly the room itself was sweltering. He was having an internal panic attack, how much had she heard? Why did she look so disgusted? Had all his fears this past week been true?

He dropped his cane suddenly, the sound on metal on the tiled floor broke the silence like a shattering glass, he fumbled with grasping the desk behind him for support.

Instinct took over Belle; she was at his side in seconds, helping him to stand up.

He placed a hand on her shoulder; a look of feeble uncertainty furrowed his brow. Belle gazed upon Rumpelstiltskin, ever the coward, his heart beating uncontrollably, scared at what she might say. It was in these moments that he felt like that man he'd once been before with Milah.

He glanced at his supine and slender tanned fingers on her shoulder. Calloused though they were, they were not strong hands. He was taller than Belle, but wiry and unsatisfyingly feminine in his delicate features and then his overbearing cowardice on top of all that, he just wanted to sink away from her.

This of course was an internal battle, as soon as that look of uncertainty flashed across his face he replaced it with the crocodile stoniness of his younger days back in fairytale land, though without the scales of course.

He pressed his hand against her shoulder pushing her away slightly, letting her know he was fine and to let go, she bent down and handed him his cane. He took it from her in silence, unable to make eye contact, the impish deflection she'd experienced back in the dungeon of the Dark Castle now etched upon his face.

"Don't do that." Belle said, strongly.

He turned to her, finally looking at her face again. "What?"

"You're doing that thing you do when you're scared."

"I'm not scared, Dearie."

"Rumpelstiltskin, stop it! You promised me you'd be more open with me and I'm trying too, what you're doing right now isn't fair." She said angrily.

"Life isn't fair Dearie, if it was, I wouldn't exist." He quipped.

"Ok," she said deciding to play along. "Your right, I suppose life not being fair would also be you beating up some man in an alleyway almost to death?" she turned the strong statement into a question, disbelief cradling her voice.

There it was, she had heard everything.

"Belle, he broke a deal."

"So you decide to kill him?"

"He's not dead."

"That's not the point!"

"Then what, pray tell is the point, Dearie?" he responded quippingly with his trilling impish voice.

"Because this isn't you anymore!" She yelled desperately.

"Oh it's me, Dearie! Always has been always will be!" He chided in his dark one thrill, wagging his eyebrows suggestively as he stepped closer to her.

Belle stepped back from him, shaking her head slightly, the man she fell in love with was him, but something was darker and keeping Belle from getting through to him. The most terrifying thing was, for a second his eyes looked all black and his skin seemed gold again, just for a moment, like the darkness in him was so powerful it was over powering the curse and seeping through.

**AUTHOR'S END NOTE: **holy crap that was long, I typed that for four hours straight, it is now 6:42am and I am exhausted, sorry for any spelling errors. But guys, it going to be a while before these two get there happy ending. Review please!


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